Electric display system



July 1, 1930. J. P. TARBOX 1,769,554

ELECTRIC DISPLAY SYSTEM 7 Filed Feb. 9, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 LWF I-E-LKF us UGF Us UBF- IN V EN TOR July 1, .1930. J. P. TARBOX 1,769,554

ELECTRIC DISPLAY SYSTEM Filed Feb. 9, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet '2 Jnfiy 1,1930.

J. P. TARBOX ELECTRIC DISPLAY SYSTEM Filed Feb. 9, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 5July 1, 1930.

J. P. TARBOX ELECTRIC DISPLAY,-SYSTEM Filed 192.4 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 mw mm? RN a r m IN VEN TOR a D a Patented July 1, 1930 PATENT OFFICE Jon): 1TARBOX, or am) CITY, NEW YORK I IIECTRIO DISPLAY SYSTEM Application flled February 9, 19%. Serial No. 691,731.

My invention relates to those electric disdisplay work of the kindcarried on a lar e scale in Times Square, New York. city; 11

these systems are used immense display boards to advertise manufacturingand trade names of various products, but few facts about the productscan be set forth at a time by reason of the utter inflexibility of thedisplay devices. Commutator operated monogram systems and scrolloperated controlling systems have been used in an attempt to overcomethis general inflexibility but their scope is limited. The prime oh- 7ject of my invention is topr'actically obtain unlimited flexibility ofand versatility in subject matter, to draw and hold the interest of thepublic, and to drive the subject matter home thru strong emphasis.

6, 1927, and from this point of view 'the' present invention constitutesan improve ment over my prior inventions.

The improvement is directed especially to the ends'of simplicity oforganization, reduction of first cost and maintenance, and reliabilityof operation. These ends are attained by an organization of standardcommercial telephone relays and their operation accordin to a newmethod. The organization app es especially to the character formingmachine and the monogram spacing and control relays, whereas the newmethod is applied particularly to the operation of spacing, which is tosay, the stepping of the dis lay from one monogram to another.

ubstantially the entire system is novel and the novelt will beself-apparentfrom the following escription. The outstanding feature,however, is the development of the spacing and allied control circuits.These circuits are started in the character determining means. Thru aprocess of timing each character determination they are developed fromone display position to another with absolute reliability and extremelygreat rapidity. Thus is over-lapping of displayand all other interferentaction utterly These ends were also the object of my 7 removed andperfect display assured irre- I play systems especially adapted foroutdoor -spective of the speed of operation.

Of the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a diagram of that portion of the apparatus located at thecontrol or operating station (usually in a roof structure called apenthouse), and comprising a typewriter or typewriter keyboard, acharacter forming machine, the motor generator or other source of power,and the control switches and circuit breakers;

Figs, 2 and 2 represent a similar diagram of that portion of theapparatus mounted upon the out-door'dis'play board or steel structureand comprising the monograms themselves, their control relays and thepower busses; 1

Fig. 3 is a diagram of the bi-color monogram used; i

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatical illustration in the plan form of a characterforming machine; 7, I Fig. 5 is a side elevation illustratin in generalthe type of relay of which this 0 aracter forming machine is composed;.

\ Fig. 6 is a detail of the operating keyboard; and r Fig. 7 is a detailof a contact connected with a starting switch.

The relays of thesystem are iii general illustrated by rectangles and asde-energized. The contact points point in the direction of the circuitto be closed. When the. relays are energized, contacts shown open areclosed and contacts shown closed are opened.

Referring now first ttyFig. 3, the body of casing of the monogram isrepresented by the rectangle 20 and the lamps arranged in pairs arerepresented by the circles 21. Those circles which are cross-hatchedrepresent red or other colored lamps, whereas those open and notcross-hatched represent white lamps or their equivalent or they mayrepresent lamps of some color different from their mates. The lamps maybe mounted in the monogram casing accordingto any of the well knownmethods in practice, in sockets of one form or another and associatedwith reflectors or shields of any chosen pattern.

One feature of my invention resides in the.

. arrangements of these lamps. *All of the lamps of any iven colorconstitute in' themselves a complete monogram on which any letter {ofthe alphabet" or any numeral or any chosen number of punctuation marksor other characters may be formed thru energization of the appropriatelam s. Thus, as

' shown, there are two. complet monograms of lamps in the one body 20.Thelamps of the palrs are located closely adjacent each other andsubstantially in horizontal alignment, with the result that byenergizing one set or the other the color of the formed letter may bechanged without substantial change in its position with respect to thoseletters formed on adjacent monograms, and

witho'utany change in its alignment. More- I over, by energizing bothsets of lamps one color may be utilized as a shadow ofshading for theother withoutdestroyingthe alignment. I f 7 On the top of the casing 20is a compartment 22 formed by a cover member 23 whichv laps the top ofcasing 20 in a manner to 25 make the chamber 22 weather-proof. Withinchamber 22 is a frame structure 24 which supports the control andcharacter forming casing 20, while the individual lamp connec- 40 tions'63 pass from the relays down into the I monogram thru similar apertures29. "This keeps the main power circuits separated from the controlcircuits running thru conduits 25. At the same time, because the relays5" are mounted on top of the monogram body, a

thoroughly weatherroof'cover' can be provided and the heat rom theinterior of the casing 2% utilized tokeep the chamber 22 thorough y dry,'while by merely removing E3 the cover the relays are readilya'ccessible both front and back. v

1 At the bottom of the monogram body is a row of lamps 30 comprised of anumber ofequidistant pairs 21 which together constitute a bi-colorunderscore. These. pairs are not only in horizontal alignment but alsohave the endmost, pairs projecting beyond the lateral borders of themonogram so figures formed by the other lights, whereby *when theunderscore lamps of anumber of" adjacent monograms a'reenergized acontinuousstraight line underscore in either color may beformed. Thecasing itself may 5 have ofisets 30' to accommodate the project- "ingrow 30 and the offsets of adjacent rows may abut each other.

In Figs. 2 and 2" are shown in diagram,

four such monograms 20 with their control relays. They are denominated MM M and M and R R R and B respectively.

Each group of control relays 11 ,11 etc.,

comprises a group relay G thru which the control of the other relays isextended, a timing relay I, a transfer relay F, a quality or colorcontrol relay Q, an underscore relay U, and a. plurality of lamp orcharacter forming relaysL.

In Fig. 1, K designates a group. of control and D designates thecharacter determining machine operated or controlled from keyboard T andthru which the characters formed on the monograms M ,-M etc., aredetermined.

The keyboard K, I shall hereafter term the emphasis control keyboard, inthat change of color, flashing, etc., is but achange of quality toderive emphasis or expression. The keys of this board may be ofarry'suitable form of electric switch but are preferably inthe form oftelephone number or switch board keys, typewriter keys or push buttoncontrol switches. Toggle switches are another good form to use. Theessential requirement is quick, light, easy operation. v

The circuit breakers CB are preferably of the type known as industrialcircuit breakers, the contacts of which are arranged tomake and breaklarge currents an enormous number of times without renewal. They may ormaynot have magnetic' blowouts and other featuresinsuring more or lessuick break. Their capacities are adjuste to the amount of currentrequired in the busses which they control.

The motor generator set MG is preferably of the voltage and typeusuallyemployed in connection with automatic telephone circuits, inasmuch asthe type of-relays employed in connection with the monograms is intendedto be telephone or other low voltage type. Deriving the control currentin this manner renders the control relay equip- .ment independent ofthe-character of the principal source of power, which varies veryconsiderably in different localities. "It is much more economicaltochange motors of the relatively small motor generator set than to changethe entire relay and circuit breaker equipment.

The typewriter keyboard T may be the keyboard of any of the well knowntypewriters. Such a keyboard is adapted, as shown in Fig. 6, by merelyplacing beneath the key bars 31, spring contacts 32 fixed to aninsulating base 33 at one end 34 and curved at the other end 35 to makea wiping contact with the underside of the bar 31 when the same isdepressed. The adjusting screw 36 passing thru the contact strip 32freely at a point between its ends (and preferably close to the end 34)and threaded into the base 33, constitutes an effectual adjustment ofthe gap between end 35 and bar 31. Any

' other form of contact, one for each bar of the typewriter and one forthe spacing bar 37 (Fig. 1), may be provided. Thus, for example, insteadof making contact thru the bar 31 itself, there may be used aninsulating mating contact connected with that bar. For simplicity I amusing the bars themselves and connecting them commonly to the source ofpower. r

The character forming machine D is constituted by a number of identicalmulticontact relays 38 having their pairs of contacts 39 arranged inbanks 40. A general form of this relay'is shown in Fig. 5. A singlemagnet 41-thru its armature 42 carries the entire bank into wipingcontact simultaneously and thus closes or contacts at one time. Thisrelay is of a well known form. I arrange a number of these relays inserial order on parallel supports 43 with their contact banks extendingtransversely of the supports and numerically corresponding pairs 39 oftheir contacts in alignment from bank to bank. Oneset of contacts ofeach bank 40 I connect commonly together and to a source of power asindicated by conductor 43. The other set of contacts of each bank 40Iconnect variously to character multiple conductors 44 which extendlongitudinallypf the series of relays 38 parallel to longitudinallycorresponding dontacts. Thus the contacts of the banks themselvessupport the multiples which extend between them in a parallel andorderly arrangement in which they may be readily connected andnumerically identified. Byusing one such relay for eachcharacter to bedetermined and mounting thes' relays either all in serial order or in anumber 0 parallel rows as indicated at the left of ig. 4, a completecharacter determiningmachine is organized. The supports 43 may bearranged vertically on a suitable base or hori- Zontally, as may bepreferred.

These apparatuses are interconnected b a system of electrical conductorsin which inheres the principal part of my invention. An understanding ofthe operation of the invention will result also in a furthercomprehension of the means and method by which that operation isattained.

An operator coming to the keyboard K opposite the keyboard T (ke board Kmay indeed be part and parcel oi the keyboard T), will close first mainswitch 45 and motor generator switch 46. This latter results in thestarting of the motor generator set.

tends a circuit from conductor NB which we will call hereafter positivebattery, byway of conductor 51 to transfer relay F and to conductor NBwhich we will hereinafter call negative battery. This is representativeof thelast monogram of a series.

The positive battery bus is designated by a heavy dot and dash line andthe negative battery by a heavy dash line throughout the drawings, andwith these significant delineations, it will be unnecessary tospecifically mention positive and negative battery connections. However,all other portions of the circuits'wil-l be. traced. Also through thedrawings the front contacts are delineated as those closed by movementtoward magnet of the relay and the back contacts closed by movement"away from the magnet.

Transfer relay F pulling up locks itself up thru contacts 7 5 by way ofconductor 7 6 thru back contact 54 in timing relay I of the displayposition M Transfer relay F at the same time by front contact 7 8 closesthe circuit of group relay G from battery at back contact 54 of relay 1*thru conductor s53 and by way of conductor 77, extending from contacts78 to relay G The starting circuits described are illustrated inconnection with the fourth display position M, but in actual practicethese starting circuits (which later become reconditioning circuitsaswill be seen) start from the last mono gram of an entire series. RelayG of the first display position pulling up closes all of its largenumber of normally open pairs of contacts and renders the remainingcontrol relays of the group R ready for their control and characterforming functioning.

f Thereafter, the operator has simply to pro- III) ceed to write on thetypewriter keyboard T just as he would on the typewriter and at anyspeed he chooses, pausing only to intermittently operate the emphasiskeys of the group K.

Suppose he desires the letters to be dis played in fixed white, heoperates push button switch SW (meaning sign white). This closes thecircuit breaker 59 of group CB and connectsone of the mains S to bus 60.This bus connects thru back contacts 61 of the relays Q with the whitelamps of all the monograms. Unless other switches than SW have beenoperated all of the other chine D and'this relay ismaintaine'd'energized as long as the key A is vheld down or remainsdown. suificiently to keep its bar 31 in contact with spring 32 (Fig.6).-

Period of itsclosure maybe governed -in re lation to the position ofbar31 by merely adjusting screw 36 and so the relation of relay G on timingrelayfl This timing relay is pulled up at the same moment as v lay I(and all such relays I) is held own for'this period and additionally forsuch period as relay A of the character detenmining machineD requiresfor such deenergization as to open all its contacts. Relay I pulhn'g. upopens at back contact 54 the circuit of the preceding transfer relay, inthis case the locln'ng circuit 76 of relay F. Thru-front contact 72 relaI at the period of closureby one key in point ofw the same timeindependently. closes t e cirtime to the period of closure by anotherkeyof -the typewriter keyboard may beregulated and the relays of thecharacter determining machine closed only for-separated periods, neverfor over-lapping periods. Relay A ofthe machine D pullin up closes allof its contacts and connects attery by way of common conductor 43", notto all of the character multiples 44 but to those of them which areconnected with the contacts of the relay. .Thus multiples .44 which areso connected are those 'whichextend thru the contacts of relay Gr by wayof conductors 62 to those lamp relays L associated thru conductors 63with those lam'ps which when illumined will form the letter A inthemonogram. Thus certain of the relays L are pulled up over the circuit43, 44 their contacts 64, conductors 62 and battery,

' while certain others whose multiples 44 are not connected tobatterythru relay A of' machine D are not pulled up. Those which do pullup are locked to battery thru their,

contacts- 65 by way of locking circuit 66 ,3 which extends thru backcontacts 67- of a 1 repeat relay E, Fig. 2 (whose principal functionwill be described later). Locklng.

these lamp relays thru the three'contacts he group 68 connect theassociated'lamps to the source of ower S. Thus the lamps of the pairs 21ormin the letter A,are illumined' the instant t e key 'A is ressed andthe letter A is displayed in w ite.

Simultaneously, with the determination of the character as justdescribed there is commenced the process of timing the period of thatdetermination. At the same moment that the character determining relay Aputs battery on character multi les '44 it puts also'battery on spacemultiple 69 thru its contacts 70. Space multiple 69 is multipled' tocontacts 70 in each relay of the character determining machine D andalso (see Figs. 2 and 2 to contacts 71 in each roup relay G. Relay Gbeing energized,-

attery laced on multiple 69 thru contacts 70 of rel A, is placed thrucontacts 71-of controlling locking circuit 76 the succeeding displayposition to battery. Thus transfer relayF is retained energized untilthe institutionof the timing process in connection with the display inthe second position of the series.

The moment the process of character determination ceases, relay A ofcharacter determin-ing machine Dbeing deener iz'ed removes battery fromspacing multip e 69 and the timing process until now carried on bytiming relay 1 is terminated thru the iesuiting deenergization of thatrelay." Falling back, rela I opens at front contact 72, the circuit 0group relay G and at the same time or immediately following suchopening, closes thru'back' contacts 54, and

. conductors 53 the heretofore partially completed circuit 77 of relay Gthe partial completion having been effected at front contact 8 oftransfer relay F}- when the latter was pulled up by relay -1 upon theinstitution of the tnmng process. Thus-the transfer of characterdetermination from one position to a succeeding p sition effected thruthe initiation of the t' ing process, is completely efl'ected only thrutermination of the timing process, guaranteeing a perfect andnon-interfering transfer from one display position to another, andabsolutely prevent ing over-lapping of one display upon another oranv'other interference. Display at each position is unquestionably uponits own footing. k

Atithis juncture, display at one position having been effected anddisplay at the sue ceeding position not yet having been commenced, thecontrol of the succeeding position continues in the preceding positionthru the timing and transfer relays of which it was efle'cted, that isto say, if the timing relays I or F or either of them, are changed inenergization, the control of group relav G is affected.

lVhen the second key of the typewriter keyboard T is pressed, however,and the same or another relay of the character determining machine D isenergized, battery is again placed upon spacing multiple 69 with theresult that timing relay I is energized thru the now closed contacts 71of relay G Relay G being deenergized has opened all its contacts. So toolie open the contacts of all other relays G of the series of displayposition except G The energization of relayI now institutes the timingprocedure of character determination of position M With this institutionthe control of position M is assumed by the apparatus of'position Mtiming relay I opening the locking circuit 76 of transfer relay F(heretofore controlling relay G at its back contact 54:,

i and at the same time closing at its front contact 72 the local circuit58 of relay G Also at front contact 73 there is closed the local circuit74 of transfer relay F resulting thru closure of its front contacts 78in partially effecting the transfer of character determination fromvposition over its conguctor 77 M to the next succeeding positionSimultaneously with the institution of the timing process. thru ener'zation of relay 1 relays L L etc., pertaining to the lamps of monogramM which are to form the new character, are energized over propriatemultiples 44,.contacts 64 of re afy G and conductors 62 of monogram M'f.Being en ergized these lamp relays lock up and remain locked up like thecorrespondingrelays of the monogram M also through conductor 66.

Upon termination of the character determination thru release or risingof the second key so pressed, battery is removed from mul- P tiples 44and also from spacing multiple 69. Timin relay I now falls back and infalling bac not only opens-the circuit 58 of theslocal group relay Grelinquishing contrdlof the local position, but also thru closure of theback contact 54 completely effects the transfer-of characterdetermination by conductor77 and relay Gr to the next succeedingposition M of the series thru the already closed contacts 78 of transferrelay F In an entirely similar'manner the control is stepped fromposition M to position M, and from the position M back to osition M Thedescription of the starting ey S'l,

conductor .51, etc., indicates themanner m ing from contacts of relay Fback past positions M and M to position M and to contacts 54 of relay. Iconstitutes the locking circuit for the transfer relay F. Similarly, theconductor 77 likewise extending back to the head of the series ofositions M constitutes the energizing circuit of the Y the displaypositions in serial order. Blank spaces are made by pressing the spacingbar 37 of the typewriter keyboard T which results in placing batteryupon spacing multiple 69 independently of therelays of the characterdetermining machine, the connection being made over conductor 81. Bythis method display may be made serially on any number of positionswhatsoever, the only requirement being that these positions shall beinterrelated by the spacing circuits outlined between monograms M and M.

When the end of a series of display positions has been reached, however,the entire display would be obliterated by one or more manualoperations, as for example by opening the main switches of the apparatuswhich connect it to the source of power. I have devised in connectionwith this system a new and novel method whereby the entire operation ofobliteration or erasure is not only carried out automatically, but thedisplay board is progressively conditioned and remediate the beginningand the end of the series obliterating characters earlier displayed, andat a point nearer the beginning than said intermediate pointobliterating those characters between the intermediate oint aforesaidand the end of the series. 1

The method is carried into efiect firstly thru the transfer of thecontrol of character determination from the last position of a seriesback to the first. of the circuit 77 previously described betweentransfer relay F of monogram M and group relay (3: of monogram MSecondly, I place on relay I, or on some other relay intermediate the be'nning and the end of the series, a pair o contacts 82 arranged normallyto place battery on conductor 83 and thru conductor 83 on contact 84 ofa relay E located at any convenient point This is the function of theseries and which I shall here term a repeat relay. -On a certain otherrelay I nearer the beginning of the series than the relay 1 or itsequivalent, I lpllaee contacts Sin-[filer to c n t 82, w serial y placebattery thru conductor 86 on a contact 87 of relay E. aforesaid, thelocking circuit 66 of lamp relays L of positions M to M 'terminates incontacts 67 of relay E. These contacts 67 are normally closed tobattery-as indicated, so that all the display positions of the seriesmay be used without obliteration and when obliteration does not takeplace some manual operation is carried out, such tor example as release,of the starting key ST in the group K. To institute the new method,repeat key RK of tion) is controlled from'contacts 82, where as thelocking circuit 66 of position M (representing all those positionssucceeding the chosen control position) is controlled from contacts 85of relay 1. Thus the forepart of any display board is eliminated uponthe I institution of display upon the rear part and the rear. part ofthe display is obliterated upon institution of the display upon theforepart of the board, and when one has due regard for 'syllabication(as appearing on the/typewritten record in the typewriting machine ofwhich the keys A, .B, G, D, etc. are a part) a display may be carried onby continuous operation of the-typewriter keyboard without manual 0eration in connection with release of the display board The display hasbeen described asbeing made in a fixed-white color. It is notnecessarily so, it may have been made in fixed red by merely pressingkey SR in lieu of key SW resultmg in the energization of.circuit/breaker 88 instead of circuit breaker '59. In this caseconductor 89 connected with contact 90 o the redlamps on pairs 21 isenergized and power is su plied to the lamps thru back emphasis controlrelays Q and the'connected common conductor 91, so too, the writingcould have been .done in a flash} ing white-by pressing key SWF'ofcontrol group K resulting in the. energizing of circuit breaker 92 whichinstead of connecting the source of power continuouslyfito conductor 60-connects it intermittently thru commutator 93. Conductor 60 connectsthru back contact 61 of relay Q with conductor 94, which is the commonconductor of the white lam s ofthe pairs. So too, the dislay coul havebeen made -'in flashing red y the pressing' of key SRF which results inenergizing circuit breaker 95 and the placing of power intermittently.uponconductor 89 thru a second commutator 96, the conducting segment ofwhich is 180 degrees of this particular system.

removed from the conducting segment of the commutator 93. c

So also the display can be made in any desired combinations of favorablecolors and fiashings merely by closing for the same time the keysdesired. Thuskeys SW and SR down at the same time make the display inwhite with a red shading. Thus keys SWF and SRF down at the same timeeffect the display flashing alternately white and red, alternatelybecause the white and the red circuit 'flashingbreakers 92 and 95 areconnected with the respective commutators 93 and 96, the'conductingportions vof which by reason of the 180 degree spacing alternatelyengage their contacts.

Nor is it necessary that the color or other emphasis of the display bepredetermined' It may be determined initially after the characters haveall been determined, the

board remaining entirely black until one or another or several of thekeys SV, 'SVVF, SR and SRF are operated. This follows simply becausewhile appropriate lamp relays L are energized and locked up as characterdetermination proceeds, they but partially close the circuits of thelamps which are to constitute the characters, those circuits being onlycompleted when the emphasis controlling the keys of the group K areclosed to supply power thru the commonterminals 91' and 94 of the lamps.Therefore insteadof adhering to a display made letter by letter anentire display board, for the moment entirely dark, may be suddenlycompletely filled just as is the regular practice with theone-announcement board of today. At the time of the complete display thecolor and flashin emphasis may bein any color desired,- an after thedisplay is made, either an entire display or a display letter by letter,the color and flash emphasis may be changed from one thing to another,back and forth as desired. The initial quality of the display isdetermined by those of the quality control switches K which areinitially closed. The subsequent quality is determined by opening theseswitches and closing others.

But the emphasis of the display at large is not the most efi'ective'embasis which can bev given every display, in act not the mostimportant'emphasis which can be given the majority. The emphasis moreoften belongs upon a single word or a single group of words. -In theearlierpne of my two prior patents in this art I claim broadly themethod of display thru which this portant emphasis is attained. In thissystem} I have likewise incorporated a means of obtaining it,incorporated it in such a manner that it has become part and parcel Whenthe relays'A, B,

C, etc; of a acter determimng machine are energized,

all corresponding contacts 100 with the result that the relay Uassociated with that display position at the moment under control thrucharacter determination, and that relay U only, is energized. Relay Upulling up locks up by contact 102 to locking cir cuit 66 of the lamprelays L L etc. It closes both front contacts 103 and 104, therebyextending bussesl05 and 106 to the green and blue lampsof the pairs 21,which constitute the underscore displa of the monogram. Depending uponwhich of the keys UG, UGF, UB and UBF of the control group K arepressed, either the green lamps, the green lamps flashing, the bluelamps or the blue lamps flashlng, are energized and the underscore isgiven the corresponding character, for the closure of any one of thesekeys closes only the corresponding circuit breaker of the group CB.Relations ofthe'ci rcuit breakers to the busses 105 and 106 areidentical with those described in connection with keys of the series SW,SWF, etc., and need not be repeated here. Thus the-underscore may haveany one of four different characters or any combinations of these. l

The operation described in connection with dis lay position M isprecisely what follows or position M and for all other positions, butonly as long as the underscore key U of the control group K ismaintained closed. Because key U may be closed at any point in thedisplay and opened at any succeeding point, the underscore display ]l1Stdescribed may be made under any letter or group of letters lyinganywhere in the entire display. Nor does the use of the underscore inconnection with one word preclude its use in connection with a wordremoved any distance therefrom, for-key U can be' when the display isobliterated is the under.

scoring obliterated, although it may be specially obliterated bypressing special underscore release key UL located in conductor 102, ifdesired.

But goi farther than this I have also incorporat e d the methoddescribed in my prior patent for individualizing the control of thecolor and flashing'of the character itself, thus still furtherintensifying-individual emphasis of characters and groups of characters.This is'done thru the series of keys L, LW, LWF, LR, LRF, and LL. Whenkey L is pressed'it places battery from multiple 98 upon multiple 107which is multi led to the contacts 108 of all the relays G etc. and thruthem'by conductors 109 to the emphasis control relays Q, Q etc. As inthecase of underscore relays U, whenever and as long as key L is closed,always when a character is deter .mined the emphasis control relay Q orthe like associated with the particular display position upon whichacharacter is being determined, is pulled up and locked up simultaneouslywith the lamp relays L L etc. Like underscore relays U character qualityrelayQ also locks up over the associate locking multiple 66 or 66 inthis case by relay Q etc., pulls up it shifts the common terminals 91and 94 of the red and white lamps respectively from the busses 60 and 89respectively to the busses 111 and 112 respectively, the shift beingmade by the closing of the front contacts. of groups 61 and 90. Busses111 and 112 extend to the circuit breakers connected with the series ofbranch conductor 110. -\Vhenever a quality M keys L, LW, LWF, etc., andbear the same relation to them as that of the busses 60 and 89 to thegroup S, SW, SVVF, etc., with the result that the same color andflashing variations which are possible on the sign at large thru the group SW, etc., are possible with the individualized letters and groups ofletters thru the group LiiQ-LVF, etc. Thus any trademark, tradename, orany important descriptive matter may be emphasized as intensely-asdesired.

Still further it is obviously possible with this system to combine suchindividualized and underscore emphasis and again redouble the intensityof the expression. In

short the system provides for the'attainment of any degree of emphasisof any character which ,may be advantageous, in any case, no matter howspecial.

As is almost alwaysthe case with inventions of broad scope, my inventionis capable of many modifications without departing from its genericspirit. I desire to cove er all of them of whatsoever nature fallingwithin the purview of my invention in the" annexed claims.- I

What I claim is: x

1. A character display system com rising a plurality of characterdisplay character keys, character forming relays governed thereby, andcharacter spacing circuits serially interrelating said display devicesand emanating initially from said character forming relays.

2. A character determining machine comiia evices,

prising a number of character multiples, a

character emphasis multiple, and a plurality of groups of switchingcontacts including variable connections from said character multiples toa source of ower according to the group used, and invariable partiallycompletedconnections from the emphasis multi v ple to a.source ofpower.- I

3. A character. determining machine comprising a number of charactermultiples, a spacing multiple, and an emphasis multiple and a pluralityof groups of switching contacts including variable connections from saidcharacter multiples to a source of power, and invariable separateconnections from said spacing and emphasis multiples to a source ofpower.

4. In a character displaysystem, aseries of display devices, eachcomprising character forming elements, a group relay, a timing relay,and a transfer relay, primary circuits for the character formingelements con-- trolled by the localgroup' relay, primary circuits forthe timing relays controlled by the local group relays, primary circuitsfor the transfer relays controlled by the timing relays, primarycircuits for the group relays controlled each jointly by a timing relayand associated transfer relay, secondary circuits for'the group relayscontrolled by the local timing ielays, and secondary circuits for 35,vices, each comprising character forming elethe transfer relayscontrolled succeeding timing relay.

5. In a character display system, character determining means, a seriesof display deeach through a erning the timing relays and controlledbythe timing relays themselves.

6. In a characterdisplay' system, character determining means, a seriesof-display devices, each comprising character forming elements, a timingrelay associated with the character determining means, and atransferrelay, mitlal c1rcu1ts for the transfer relays controlled by the timingrelays, and

initial circuits for the timing relays partially closed by thetransferrelays and completed by the 't1ming relays associated therewith.

7 In a character display system, character determining means,-.a seriesof display devices, each comprising character forming elements, a timingrelay associated with the character determining means, and a transferrelay, primary circuits for the transfer relays controlled by the timingrelays, primary circuits for the timing relays controlled. each jointlyby a timing rela .and associated transfer relay, and secon ary circuitsgovby a timing relay and associated' the grou erning the timing relayswhich circuits are closed when the timing relays are energized over theprimary circuit. 8.. In a character display system, characterdetermining means, a series of display devices, each comprisingcharacter forming elements, a timingc relay associated with thecharacter determining means, and a transfer a relay, primary circuitsfor the transfer rethe transfer relays controlled each through asucceeding timing relay.

9. Ina character display system, character determming means, a seriesofdisplay devices, each comprising character forming elements, a timingrelay associated with the character determining means.,.and a transferrelay, primary circuits for the transfer rlays controlled. by the timingrelays, and

secondary circuits for the transfer relays controlled each throughasucceeding timing relay. I

10. In a character display system, character determining means, a seriesof display devices, each comprising character forming elements, a timingrelay associated with the character determining means, and a trans ferrelay, primary circuits for the timing relays controlled each jointly bya timing relay and associated transfer relay, and secondary circuitsgoverning the timing relays and controlled bythe timing relaysthemselves. 11. In acharacter display system, character determiningmeans, a series of display devices each comprising character formingelements, and a group relay associated with a the character determiningmeans, a primary circuit for each group relay generated from thepreceding group relay, and a secondary circuit for each group relaygenerated at itself. 1 12. A icolor monogram comprising two sets ofcharacter forming elements, one set inc of circuit controllingrelaystherefor, a'Q

single character determining means common to a plurality of monograms,and tvio sets of circuit controlling contacts governed by said relays,one for each set of character forming elements.

131A monogram display device comprising a plurality,of character formingelements, a group relay controlling the' same, and an emphasis devicealso controlled by said group relay. v

ing a pluralit of character forming ele ments, a group relay controllingthe same, and an emphasis controlling relay, whose clrcuit is made byway of contacts closed by the group relay. f i a 15. In a selectivecharacter display sys- 14. A monogram display device comprismeaasa tem,a plurality of character display monograms controlled from a centralpoint, a cut-in device in the form of a group switch for each monogram,and an emphasis device controlled from the central point thru the cut-indevice.

16. In a selective character display system, a plurality of characterdisplay monograms, character determining means common to a plurality ofdevices, and an emphasis device on each monogram, controllable from thecharacter determining means.

17. In a selective character display system, a plurality of characterdisplay monograms, character determining means, a cut: in device in theform of a group switch for each monogram, and an emphasis device foreach monogram controlled from the character determining means thru thecut-in device.

18. In a selective character display system, a plurality of characterdisplay devices, a spacing multiple common to the devices, an emphasismultiple also common to the devices, and a cut-in device in the form ofa group switch for each display device through which the said multiplesare separately extended to the display device.

19: In a selective character display system, a plurality of changeablemulticolor display devices, selective switching means common to aplurality of devices to determine the character display, group controlsegregating means, a flashing device for the dlsplay at large, and aflashing device connected to flash the colors of segregated groupsoppositely to the flashing of colors of the remainder of the display.

20. In a selective character display system, a plurality of changeabledisplay devices, control devices for the same, selective switching means.to determine the character of the display and common to a plurality ofdisplay devices, a multicolor underscore display on each device, andselective switching means independent of the display control devices todetermine the color of said underscore.

21. In a selective character display system, a plurality of changeabledisplay devices comprising character forming means set to displayvarious characters, and restoring means for the character formingdevices in certain of said display devices controllable thru theoperation of a certainother display device when such other is set,together with a set ofspaced transfer circults extending from device todevice from the beginning to the end of the series and also from thelast to the first device of the series.

22. In a selective character display s s I tem, a plurality ofchangeable display evices comprising character forming means set todisplay various characters, restoring signature.

JOHN P. TARBOX.

